Evan Bayh, Todd Young ‘sling mud’ in critical U.S. Senate debate

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INDIANAPOLIS – The tone was set from the beginning.

“My name is Lucy Brenton,” the Libertarian candidate said. “But you probably don’t know who I am because I haven’t spent $30 million to win a job that pays under $200,000 a year.”

In what has become one of the most watched U.S. Senate races in the country, Democrat Evan Bayh and Republican Todd Young faced-off for 60 minutes in a race that will help determine which party controls the Senate.

“Clearly Congressman Young is getting pretty desperate,” Bayh said. “It’s not true I was for cap and trade. I’m against cap and trade. It’s not true that I’ve ever been a lobbyist. It’s simply not true.”

Bayh has been fighting the accusations from Young since he entered the race, questions swirling about his ties to Indiana and his work for Washington D.C. firms.

“Evan Bayh cast the deciding vote for Obamacare,” Young said. “We would not have Obamacare ladies and gentleman but for Bayh. With respect to being a lobbyist? Ok. He’s a partner at a lobbying firm. Maybe they pay him $2 million not to lobby.”

A number of the issues facing Hoosiers and American voters were raised Tuesday evening at the WFYI studios in downtown Indianapolis, including trade, the Affordable Care Act and gun control.

“Hoosiers can count on me to protect their gun rights most certainly,” Young said. “Your gun rights will be jeopardized should Evan Bayh become the next U.S. Senator from Indiana.”

Bayh, as he did throughout the debate, quickly disputed the claims from Young.

“It’s just not true what Congressman Young was saying,” Bayh said. “I support your second amendment right to bear arms, and unless you are a known terrorist, have been convicted in a crime of a violent felony or adjudicated to be insane, you’ve got no trouble from me.”

The end of the debate indicated what will proceed in the final days along the campaign trail.

“Where did you go Evan?” Young turned and said. “Where did you go? You took the money and ran.”

“Well he’s just flat out wrong when he said…,” Bayh quickly tried to clarify.

Minutes later, all three candidates appeared before the press, taking several post-debate questions.

“I don’t remember the whole litany,” Bayh said about Young. “He seemed like he was kind of losing it there at the end and that kind of thing.”

“I don’t apologize for my passion, my conviction on behalf of Hoosiers and their families,” Young responded minutes later.

For her part, Brenton physically stepped away from the two in her final remarks.

“They’re slinging so much mud,” she said. “And I’m wearing a white suit.”